can I please ask the age ranges on this tour and how many solo travelers there are. Also does this start in Madrid or Bilbao? What is the difference between this trip and the northern Spain explorer (new)???

We would happy to let you know the demographics of the tour, can you please confirm which departure date you are considering? We do only have 1 itinerary for this tour and it starts in Bilbao and ends in Barcelona.

How much is single supplement? Also is this tour done through a private coach or trains?

The solo supplement on this tour is $840.00 AUD. We currently do have solo room availability on the 19 October departure, which is good news. Explore are a small group tour operator, which means we use mostly our own private vehicle (minivan) and sometimes some public transport like trains or taxi's - and your tour leader is with you at all times throughout the itinerary.

We were hoping to do a northern Spain tour for 9 or 10 days. There are 4 adults in our family and very keen to see all North of Madrid and down to Barcelona.

Due to the size and the amount of cities to see in Spain, a 10 day tour would not cover all of Spain. However, we would have these tours here beginning in Madrid on August 10th.

Do all of the hotels have working air conditioning? I must have AC for medical reasons.

During this tour, we spend four nights in comfortable-grade hotels and four nights in premium-grade hotels. Accommodation in Spain is generally good and you can expect to have all of the usual amenities. We stay in single and twin rooms equipped with air conditioning, WiFi and en-suite bathrooms. Some hotels will have extra amenities such as a restaurant or bar or a swimming pool.

Departure dates for April 2025? Solo traveller?

We will have 2025 probably at the end of May. 13 Oct 2024 departure is available to book, single room is also available.

Any late October or November dates for this tour?

Do any other tours of northern Spain operate in November before 17 th or after 26th. Do any other tours of Spain operate from Barcelona round trip or Barcelona to Madrid in these date periods? I m particularly interested in slow pace tours.

is this tour confirmed to run on these dates Saturday, March 18th, 2023 to Sunday, March 26th, 2023?

The 18 March - 26 March - is a Guaranteed departure with 5 passengers confirmed.

Reviews mention hiking and cycling; neither seem to be the focus of this tour as described. How extensive is the walking/hiking? It does not list many optional excursions - are there any for budgeting purposes?

This trip isn't a walking/hiking trip. It's a discovery trip. Day 1: No walking/ hiking. Day 2: 9:30 Start town walk from the hotel - 14:00 End of walk and free time. Day 3: No walking, train ride. Day 4: Walk to bus station. Public bus to San Sebastian. Walking tour (2-3hrs) of San Sebastian. Day 5: Walk into town centre for lunch. Day 6: Walk 2-3km along Camino after bus ride and Zaragoza early evening stroll. Day 7: Afternoon orientation walk (2-3hrs) in old town. Day 8: Walking tour with Sagrada Familia visit (1.5hrs) then walk to Plaza España. Day 9: Tour ends after breakfast. You can opt out if any activity is not suitable for you.

From

US $2,990 per person

Northern Spain Explorer

8 days

•

From Bilbao to Barcelona

4.4

12 traveler reviews

View all
Excellent food to sample. We love Spain, a good sample of cities and small towns to experience the culture and history.
L
Linda, traveled in October
5.0
View all

From

US $2,990 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Platinum Operator: Explore!
In-depth Cultural: Immerse yourself in rich history and local traditions
Group Tour: Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
Fully Guided: An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity: Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Group Size 10 - 16
Ages 16+

Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

Day 1
Bilbao
Accommodation
Hotel (Hotel Barcelo Nervion (or similar))
Optional Activities
- Visit Guggenheim Museum (open until 7pm)
Landmarks
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Day 2
Bilbao to San Sebastian
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch (Relaxed lunch of pintxos (Basque tapas) in San Sebastian)
Accommodation
Hotel (Hotel Barcelo Nervion (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit local fishery in Getaria to learn about traditional anchovy canning and taste samples
- Walk to Monte Urgull for sweeping coastal views
- Explore San Sebastian old town and pintxos bars
- Included lunch of pintxos in San Sebastian
Optional Activities
- Stroll La Concha promenade
- Relax on the beach
- Take funicular up Monte Igueldo for scenic lookout
Landmarks
Getaria
Monte Urgull
San Sebastian Old Town
La Concha Promenade
Monte Igueldo
Day 3
Bilbao to Pamplona
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in Laguardia, likely featuring local Rioja wines)
Accommodation
Hotel (Hotel Maissonave (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit local bodega in La Rioja Alavesa
- Tour wine cellars and see production line at work
- Wine tasting of red and white wines
- Explore medieval village of Laguardia
- Visit Church of Saint Mary of Eunate
- Walk two-to-three kilometre section of Camino de Santiago from Obanos to Puente La Reina
Landmarks
La Rioja Alavesa
Laguardia
Church of Saint Mary of Eunate
Obanos
Puente La Reina
Camino de Santiago
Day 4
Pamplona to Zaragoza
Meals
Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel (Hotel Catalonia El Pilar (or similar))
Included Activities
- Food tour of Pamplona with local expert
- Visit central market and sample regional cheeses and cured meats
- Orientation walk in Zaragoza
- Visit El Pilar Cathedral
Optional Activities
- Final sightseeing in Pamplona
Landmarks
Pamplona Central Market
El Pilar Cathedral
Day 5
Zaragoza to Montserrat
Meals
Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel (Hotel Abad Cisneros (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit working chocolate factory in Agramunt
- Learn about traditional chocolate production and hand-wrapping
- Taste chocolate with churros
- Ride rack railway up Montserrat
- Explore Benedictine abbey at Montserrat
Landmarks
Agramunt
Montserrat
Benedictine Abbey of Montserrat
Day 6
Montserrat to Barcelona
Meals
Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel (Amrey Sant Pau (or similar))
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Gothic Quarter
- Walking tour of El Born
- Walking tour of Barceloneta seaside district
- Visit historic food markets
- Introduction to Catalan specialties
Optional Activities
- Afternoon self-exploration in Barcelona
Landmarks
Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic)
El Born
Barceloneta
Day 7
Barcelona
Meals
Lunch, Dinner (Farewell dinner featuring prepared paella)
Accommodation
Hotel (Amrey Sant Pau (or similar))
Included Activities
- Hands-on paella-making class
- Farewell dinner featuring the prepared paella
Optional Activities
- Visit Gaudí's Park Güell (pre-booking recommended)
- Visit Sagrada Familia (pre-booking recommended)
Landmarks
Park Güell
Sagrada Familia
Day 8
Barcelona
Meals
Breakfast

Landmarks
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Landmarks
Getaria
Monte Urgull
San Sebastian Old Town
La Concha Promenade
Monte Igueldo

Landmarks
La Rioja Alavesa
Laguardia
Church of Saint Mary of Eunate
Obanos
Puente La Reina
Camino de Santiago

Landmarks
Pamplona Central Market
El Pilar Cathedral

Landmarks
Agramunt
Montserrat
Benedictine Abbey of Montserrat

Landmarks
Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic)
El Born
Barceloneta

Landmarks
Park Güell
Sagrada Familia

What's Included

Expand All

Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Additional Services
Transport

What's Not Included

Flights
Insurance
Optional
Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Hotel Barcelo Nervion (or similar)
Hotel
Days 1, 2
Hotel Maissonave (or similar)
Hotel
day 3
Hotel Catalonia El Pilar (or similar)
Hotel
day 4
Hotel Abad Cisneros (or similar)
Hotel
day 5
Amrey Sant Pau (or similar)
Hotel
Days 6, 7

Operated by

Explore!

Platinum Operator

Rating: 4.5(8,640 reviews)
Response time: within 1 day
Response rate: 92%
Cancellation policy

Traveler Moments

Traveler Reviews

4.4

Overall rating based on 12 Reviews

Itinerary
4.3
Transport
3.9
Guide
4.9
Accommodation
4.2
Food
4.3
Tour Operator
4.5

Keith
September 26th, 2025
This was my first tour, having always traveled solo, and I was pleasantly surprised. The group size of 6 was perfect...
This was my first tour, having always traveled solo, and I was pleasantly surprised. The group size of 6 was perfect for being able to develop close friendships and having all the lodging and transportation taken care of was so welcome. Lastly, the guide, Renske, is truly a natural. I don't think she could have been any better, throughout the trip. She was always in good spirits, and would go out of her way to answer questions, even researching when she didn't know the answer. Top notch all around!Show more
Traveled in September 2025
Reply from: Explore!
Thank you for taking the time to leave such wonderful feedback. We are so glad your first group tour was such a positive experience and that your Tour Leader Renske made it extra special. We hope this is the first of many adventures with us.
Show more
A
Liz
March 27th, 2023
Barcelona was magical. I knew I'd be interested but I was blown over. La Sagrada Familia is like something out of a...
Show more
Traveled in March 2023
Review collected by Explore!
A
Barbra
April 1st, 2023
Visiting the Guggenheim Bilbao and exploring the tiny streets of LaGuardia
Traveled in March 2023
Review collected by Explore!
A
Ljiljana
May 7th, 2023
I loved it all, especially Bilbao and secrada famillua in Barcelona!
Traveled in April 2023
Review collected by Explore!
A
Robert
July 24th, 2023
The talk about the church door in Laguardia. The amazing variety of pinches. The food in San Sebastian especially....
Show more
Traveled in July 2023
Review collected by Explore!
A
Julie
October 2nd, 2023
Highlights were Madrid San Sebastian and Barcelona. Really enjoyed the town of Zaragoza and wished to have spent...
Show more
Traveled in September 2023
Review collected by Explore!
A
Sandie
October 4th, 2023
The full day of mini visits en-route to Zaragoza was great nd the town itself an absolute gem.
Traveled in September 2023
Review collected by Explore!
A
Richard
November 9th, 2023
The Sagrada Familia. We had an excellent guided tour of it.
Traveled in October 2023
Review collected by Explore!
A
Catherine
November 8th, 2023
the people, tour guide and seeing areas that we do not normally see. Guide at Sagrada Familia very good.
Traveled in October 2023
Review collected by Explore!
A
Linda
October 21st, 2023
Beautiful Spain Great sights Excellent food to sample Wonderful guide Good pace each day We love Spain, a good...
Beautiful Spain Great sights Excellent food to sample Wonderful guide Good pace each day We love Spain, a good sample of cities and small towns to experience the culture and history. Congenial group of travelers.Show more
Traveled in September 2023

Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Upcoming departures

From Sunday
24 May, 2026
To Sunday
31 May, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $2,990 per person
Multiple Room Types
From Sunday
21 Jun, 2026
To Sunday
28 Jun, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $2,990 per person
Multiple Room Types
Instant Confirmation
From Sunday
6 Sep, 2026
To Sunday
13 Sep, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $2,990 per person
Multiple Room Types
Instant Confirmation
From Sunday
20 Sep, 2026
To Sunday
27 Sep, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $2,990 per person
Multiple Room Types
Instant Confirmation
From Sunday
4 Oct, 2026
To Sunday
11 Oct, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $2,990 per person
Multiple Room Types
Instant Confirmation
From Sunday
18 Oct, 2026
To Sunday
25 Oct, 2026
English
This departure date is available and will 100% depart
Guaranteed departure
From:
US $2,990 per person
Multiple Room Types

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What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.

All questions

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Try a different search term or ask a question to this adventure's experts

S
Steve
Asked on September 28th, 2025
can I please ask the age ranges on this tour and how many solo travelers there are. Also does this start in Madrid or Bilbao? What is the difference between this trip and the northern Spain explorer (new)???
Age Range
Tour Details
- Explore!Operator•Written September 2025
  We would happy to let you know the demographics of the tour, can you please confirm which departure date you are considering? We do only have 1 itinerary for this tour and it starts in Bilbao and ends in Barcelona.
S
Shannon
Asked on July 3rd, 2025
How much is single supplement? Also is this tour done through a private coach or trains?
Single supplement
Transport
- Explore!Operator•Written July 2025
  The solo supplement on this tour is $840.00 AUD. We currently do have solo room availability on the 19 October departure, which is good news. Explore are a small group tour operator, which means we use mostly our own private vehicle (minivan) and sometimes some public transport like trains or taxi's - and your tour leader is with you at all times throughout the itinerary.
B
Barry
Asked on April 21st, 2025
We were hoping to do a northern Spain tour for 9 or 10 days. There are 4 adults in our family and very keen to see all North of Madrid and down to Barcelona.
Group size
Tour Details
- Explore!Operator•Written April 2025
  Due to the size and the amount of cities to see in Spain, a 10 day tour would not cover all of Spain. However, we would have these tours here beginning in Madrid on August 10th.
J
John
Asked on December 2nd, 2024
Do all of the hotels have working air conditioning? I must have AC for medical reasons.
Accommodation
- Explore!Operator•Written December 2024
  During this tour, we spend four nights in comfortable-grade hotels and four nights in premium-grade hotels. Accommodation in Spain is generally good and you can expect to have all of the usual amenities. We stay in single and twin rooms equipped with air conditioning, WiFi and en-suite bathrooms. Some hotels will have extra amenities such as a restaurant or bar or a swimming pool.
D
Dana
Asked on April 20th, 2024
Departure dates for April 2025? Solo traveller?
Single supplement
Tour Details
- Explore!Operator•Written April 2024
  We will have 2025 probably at the end of May. 13 Oct 2024 departure is available to book, single room is also available.
- D
  Dana
  Traveler•Written April 2024
  Is this date Guaranteed to go?
- Explore!Operator•Written April 2024
  We don't have 2025 dates yet. And in most cases we start running this tour in May only so I'm afraid we won't have any early April departure.
M
Morgan
Asked on January 4th, 2024
Any late October or November dates for this tour?
Tour Details
- M
  Morgan
  Traveler•Written January 2024
  Do any other tours of northern Spain operate in November before 17 th or after 26th. Do any other tours of Spain operate from Barcelona round trip or Barcelona to Madrid in these date periods? I m particularly interested in slow pace tours.
- Explore!Operator•Written January 2024
  Our other Spain trip which covers Barcelona and Madrid is a trip combined with exploring Portugal. Again here the last departure date for this trip is 19 October 2024. This trip is called "Spain and Portugal Iberian Explorer".
N
Nancy
Asked on February 20th, 2023
is this tour confirmed to run on these dates Saturday, March 18th, 2023 to Sunday, March 26th, 2023?
Tour Details
- Explore!Operator•Written February 2023
  The 18 March - 26 March - is a Guaranteed departure with 5 passengers confirmed.
B
Ben
Asked on July 10th, 2022
Reviews mention hiking and cycling; neither seem to be the focus of this tour as described. How extensive is the walking/hiking? It does not list many optional excursions - are there any for budgeting purposes?
Tour Details
- Explore!Operator•Written July 2022
  This trip isn't a walking/hiking trip. It's a discovery trip. Day 1: No walking/ hiking. Day 2: 9:30 Start town walk from the hotel - 14:00 End of walk and free time. Day 3: No walking, train ride. Day 4: Walk to bus station. Public bus to San Sebastian. Walking tour (2-3hrs) of San Sebastian. Day 5: Walk into town centre for lunch. Day 6: Walk 2-3km along Camino after bus ride and Zaragoza early evening stroll. Day 7: Afternoon orientation walk (2-3hrs) in old town. Day 8: Walking tour with Sagrada Familia visit (1.5hrs) then walk to Plaza España. Day 9: Tour ends after breakfast. You can opt out if any activity is not suitable for you.

From

US $2,990 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 229591

Currency
€
Euro
Spain
Plugs & Adapters
Vaccines
- These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
- Hepatitis B - Recommended for Spain. Ideally 2 months before travel.
Visa
- Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
- Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
Payment information
- For any tour departing before July 21st, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after July 21st, 2026, a minimum payment of 10% is required to confirm your booking with Explore!. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 75 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
- Some departure dates and prices may vary and Explore! will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
- The following cards are accepted for "Explore!" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
Cancellation Policy
- Your money is safe with TourRadar, as we only pay the tour operator after your tour has departed.
- TourRadar is an authorized Agent of Explore!. Please familiarize yourself with the Explore! payment, cancellation and refund conditions.
Accessibility
Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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Northern Spain Explorer

Itinerary

Bilbao

Optional Activities

Bilbao to San Sebastian

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Bilbao to Pamplona

Included Activities

Pamplona to Zaragoza

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Zaragoza to Montserrat

Included Activities

Montserrat to Barcelona

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Barcelona

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Barcelona

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What's Included

What's Not Included

Where You'll Stay

Traveler Moments

Traveler Reviews

Dates & Availability

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Why book with TourRadar?

What our customers ask about this tour

Good to Know

Similar Tours

Keep Exploring Spain

Northern Spain Explorer

Itinerary

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Want to read it later?

What's Included

What's Not Included

Where You'll Stay

Traveler Moments

Traveler Reviews

Dates & Availability

Want to read it later?

Why book with TourRadar?

What our customers ask about this tour

Earn while you share

Good to Know

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